


One Last Night With The Stars

by 500daysofmarie



Category: Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005), Sarah Jane Adventures
Genre: Courage, Emotional, Friendship, Goodbyes, Heartbreak, Loss, Mentions of Cancer, Terminal Illnesses
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-21
Updated: 2020-10-21
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:54:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27127504
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/500daysofmarie/pseuds/500daysofmarie
Summary: “Oh what I would do for one last trip to the stars,” Sarah Jane’s voice sounded so far away, as if she was already dreaming of it.Rose removed her gaze from the view above and looked at the woman beside her. Sarah Jane had lost a lot of weight in the past few weeks, the bones in her face, now mirroring those of her knuckles, were harsh against the dullness of her skin. She reached out and squeezed her hand before getting up and going back inside, she knew what she needed to do._____________Rose comes back to her original universe through a crack in the face of the cliffs at Bad Wolf Bay. Now she's back, and not ready to face the Doctor or Jack, she turns to the one person she could rely on: Sarah Jane Smith.(This is setting up for season 6 rewrite with Rose.)
Relationships: Sarah Jane Smith & Rose Tyler
Comments: 5
Kudos: 26





	One Last Night With The Stars

**Author's Note:**

> Please take note of the tags as this story does involve cancer and terminal illnesses. 
> 
> I do not own Doctor Who, The Sarah Jane Adventures or any of. the characters in this story. (I just love them and couldn't stop myself from carrying on their stories). I've tried to keep this as cannon as I possibly could.

Rose stood on the wet dreary sand of Bad Wolf Bay looking out at the crashing waves. Her mind wandered as her blonde locks blew around her face battling against the sharp cold wind. The large duffel backpack, with what was left of her belongings, was heavy against her shoulders but she still stood straight with determination. 

She could do this. There was nothing here for her anymore. She’d already said her goodbyes a long time ago. 

Rose’s hand flew up to the chain around her neck and clutched her wedding ring that now hung with the old Tardis key she could never bring herself to part from. She raised the ring and key to her almost frozen slips and, closing her eyes, lightly kissed them for courage. 

Her other hand dug into the pocket of her dark purple leather jacket and wrapped around the Tardis coral they were given so long ago. It felt like home and Rose knew it would lead her the right way; it would bring her back. She turned around on the spot, her boots sinking slightly into the sand, and fixed her gaze on to the face of the cliffs. 

There it was: a crack. 

It wasn’t just any ordinary crack, it was crack in time and space. And hopefully universes, Rose’s mind prayed. A blinding white light was oozing out of the opening, almost as an invitation, which made the shape a lot more distinguishable. Rose’s deep brown eyes followed the sharp lines of the jagged edges and let out a breath she didn’t realise she was holding. 

She could feel it calling her, pulling her back across the void and there was no reason for her to resist it anymore. Her stance hardened as she set her feet apart to prepare herself, her heart thumping in her eardrums. Then everything went silent and she ran. Her feet pounded into the sand and the wind whizzed around her. Then right before the crack, she jumped. 

______________________

Rose slowly blinked open her eyes allowing them to adjust to the light around her. The sound of calm waves washed over her and she sat up to assess her surroundings. Bad Wolf Bay. But the air was different, it felt like she could breathe properly for the first in years. 

Rose was back in her original universe. It had worked. She jumped up and let out a joyous laugh of unbelievement.  
“Thank you, thank you!” Rose gleed as she kissed the Tardis Coral still clutched in her hands.  
Rose’s smile widened further as the sun started to shine down on her, the weather even being better on this side of the universe. Readjusting the backpack onto her shoulders, Rose took off towards the winding path going up the cliff face and towards a couple of hikers.  
“Excuse me, Hiya, sorry to bother you. But what day is it?” She asked, trying to catch her breath.  
The older couple looked taken aback by her and Rose wasn’t surprised by this. You would be wary of a crazy woman running up the beach towards you like it’s the most extraordinary day of the universe.  
“It’s a Tuesday,” responded the older gentleman, taking a hold of his wife’s hand.  
“Oh no sorry, I meant what is the date and what year?”  
The older man’s wiry grey eyebrows furrowed with confusion, “Well it’s the 3rd of November 2009.”  
“2009’, Rose repeated to herself and nodded, “Thank you!”  
Before they could even respond again she was off into the mainland, her mind narrowing in on the date 2009. The year was 2087 back in the parallel universe. So whatever was pulling her back into this universe also pulled her back in time, but for what reason she couldn’t quite work out. 

Rose’s steps slowed as her mind was processing a thousand thoughts a minute and she realised she hadn’t planned what she was going to do next. When she jumped she wasn’t even certain it would work, there was no way of knowing what was on the other side without just taking a literal leap of faith, hoping the Tardis coral would guide her. But now she was here, where was there for her to go? Rose realised she had two possible options. 

Option one: Captain Jack Harkness. One of her bestfriends, someone she loves with her whole heart. But her throat started to choke up thinking of him. Her husband and told her what she’d done when she became became the Bad Wolf, she’s condemmed Jack to life of immortality. A life of constantly losing the ones you love around you. Even though Rose now knew what this was like, still looking young on the outside and being forced to carry on whilst watching those closest to her fade away, that didn’t make it any easier to look Jack in the eye. The last time she saw him she had no clue that what happened to him was because of her, hell she didn’t even realise the effects it had on herself either. Having forced this life onto someone she held so dear was too much for Rose to bear right now.  
Then the words of the other only option echoed through her mind: “Find me, if you need to, one day. Find me.”  
Sarah Jane Smith. The thought of the older woman brought warmth to Rose’s heart and she smiled in contentment. Yes, Sarah Jane is the one to go to. 

______________________

It had been just under a year since Rose knocked on the door at 13 Bannerman Road. The heartwarming woman had welcomed Rose with open arms and a room to stay in. Rose had resisted at first but Sarah Jane’s insistence won out and Rose could not have been more grateful. She had missed doing the mundane parts of life with people: the fish and chips in front of the telly on a friday night, arguments over who should do the dishes, and who gets to choose the channel on the telly. It felt like being part of a family again and Rose didn’t realise how much she yearned for it, that company. She grew close to Luke, Clyde and Rani really quickly and their enthusiasm and wonder for adventure reminded her of her younger self when she first started travelling. After Luke moved away to Oxford university, Rose could tell Sarah also appreciated the companionship they had with each other and the two developed an even closer bond as Rose slowly started to open up about her life in the parallel world. 

Even though they all missed Luke terribly, the adventures and mystery solving carried on and running with Sarah Jane, Clyde and Rani surged a thrill that would pulse through her veins. Being with all of them reminded her so much of the time she used to spend with her husband, and with the Doctor. Especially when she joked that she finally felt more ‘Spok’ when summoning Mr Smith with help. Remembering all of those times was still painful, the ache in her heart ever present, but it was slowly becoming more bearable; she wasn’t trying to get rid of the pain, she was just making room for it. 

However, that didn’t prepare Rose for the day UNIT unexpectedly converged at the house and informed them that the Doctor is dead. Of course, Rose had thought about the original Doctor back in this universe, deep down she knew he was one of the reasons why she came back here, and that he must have something to do with the pull that was still imploring her. But the thought of him still having the same face as her late husband felt overwhelming and she didn’t believe she would be able to face it. The dejavu of being told of the Doctor’s death was all too much for her and she had to swallow the bile that rose in her throat. Rose removed herself from the room and out into the kitchen, the world blurring around her as she automatically put the kettle on just for a distraction.  
“Rose,” Sarah Jane’s voice broke through the barriers of her mind as she came closer to her.  
“He can’t actually be… can he?”  
Rose turned around with a skeptical look on her face and leant against the kitchen counter. If he was then Rose believed this thing pulling her like she was attached to a string would have stopped by now.  
“You and I both know that man is impossible,” Sarah’s voice lowered so the people in the other room wouldn’t be able to hear, “I think there’s something else going on here.”  
Rose slowly nodded in agreement just as the kettle boiled but she didn’t turn to pour the boiling water into the mug she’d prepared.  
“We’re going to go and check it out… are you going to com-” before Sarah Jane could finish her sentence Rose had already begun to shake her head.  
“I can’t, I just can’t.”  
The possible what ifs were outweighing the urge to run back to him.  
Sarah Jane looked Rose over before pulling her into a hug. The words didn’t need saying. After knowing what Rose had gone through, she knew this would be too much. Rose melted into the older woman’s arms and for the first time in a while she allowed herself to think of her mum. Sarah Jane’s hugs had the same comforting power of the hugs from her mother all of those many years ago and Rose squeezed the petite woman back as if she was an anchor to this world. Sarah Jane reassured her they would be back soon before leaving with Clyde and Rani. 

Rose sighed as she looked out across the empty kitchen and heard the echo of the front door closing bounce of the empty hallway walls.  
It wasn’t until later that afternoon, as she sat in the living room reading, that Rose heard a sound she hadn’t heard for over 80 years. The Tardis. Rose’s breath catched and she closed her eyes, the sound coursing through her like a melody. Her heart aching to run up to the attic and see the magnificent ship with her own eyes as it materialised. Then the sound stopped and she heard muffled voices but there were too many floors between them to decipher which voice belonged to who. 

Rose stayed as still as she possibly could, her hand wrapped gripping her wedding ring and Tardis key around her neck. The key was warmth beneath her palm as if it could sense the ship was near, calling out, begging her to come home. The pull within Rose felt the strongest it ever had and she was fighting to resist it. Before Rose could give in, the sound of the Tardis rang out again as she left and Rose’s pulse started to return back to normal as a cool breeze brushed over her to confirm the Tardis’ absence. 

Rose stayed silent for the rest of the evening as the others eventually came back downstairs. The time was spent listening to all the details from Clyde and Rani, and meeting Jo Jones, who Rose remembers as Jo Grant from her late husband's stories. It wasn’t until everyone had gone, that Rose and Sarah Jane were able to have a quiet moment of reflection.  
“So, he was alive then?” Rose questioned, not looking at Sarah Jane, as she focused on pulling a frayed edge on her jeans.  
Rose already knew the answer from the animated retelling from Clyde and Rani. But she just needed to hear it from Sarah this once.  
“Yes, he was. We made sure not to mention you,” Sarah Jane swallowed, “He’s regenerated.”  
Rose sucked in a breath and looked up at the ceiling. She knew it was going to happen eventually, it was inevitable with how reckless that man could be. In some ways it was a relief that she wouldn’t have to see that familiar face again. But oh how she missed and adored that face. No matter how hard she tried she couldn’t stop herself aching for him, she did love him after all. Rose thought about the process of his last regeneration and began to pray to whoever was listening that he wasn’t alone when it happened; she hoped he had someone to hold his hand, and that they took it a whole lot better than she had.  
“The last him came a while ago, he saved Luke from being hit by a car; the silly boy was too busy on his phone and wasn’t looking where he was going. We didn’t talk but the way he looked at us - I could just tell what was happening. Now I know for certain.”  
Rose couldn’t help her curiosity, “What does he look like?”  
“He’s a lot younger now.”  
Rose felt the laughter bubble up out of her throat, “Of course he is, the cheeky sod!”  
Sarah Jane felt herself chuckling along as well, “I don’t know what you’re talking about Rose, you’re looking pretty great for your age as well.”  
“Well it’s not my fault you forget to put on that anti-aging moisturising cream I bought you!”  
The two women couldn’t contain their laughter, the light banter between them lifting the weight that the day had on them both. As they calmed down Rose gave Sarah Jane a look over and felt herself grow concerned. The older woman was laying slack back into the sofa, the bags under her eyes were heavy and her skin was beginning to look diminished.  
“Are you okay?”  
Sarah Jane’s eyes met Rose’s and she smiled weakly, “Yes, just tired, it was a long day.”  
Rose nodded in agreement, “In that case, I say we better order a Chinese takeaway.”  
“Oh yes, I would never say no to that!”

______________________

The days and weeks carried on in their similar pattern but Rose started to notice Sarah growing slower. It was taking a lot less to knock her out to exhaustion and Rose was starting to grow concerned. Sarah Jane even struggled with normal day to day tasks due to aches in the body but pinned it down to all the running in her older age. They started to begin joking about retiring together, Rose trying to keep a brave face but deep down she wasn’t reassured at all. The memories of her own mother growing weaker in her final days came to mind and she began urging Sarah to go and see her doctor. However, her efforts were always brushed off as overthinking and that there was nothing to worry about. 

It wasn’t until Luke came home from University, for a visit just after new year, that they were able to convince his mum to go and see a doctor. Luke was the one person Sarah Jane could not ignore and the pleas from her son about his concerns for her and her wellbeing were enough for her to finally make an appointment.  
“Do you want me to come back from Uni for your appointment?” Luke asked as he was packing up his things to return as his classes began again in the next couple of days.  
“No no, don’t be silly,” Sarah smiled as she helped to fold up his clothes, “I’ve got Rose here with me, so don’t you worry. Just focus on your classes.”  
Luke looked at his mum and just took a moment to admire the wonderful woman she was as she just focused on her simple task of folding. If it wasn’t for her he wouldn’t be living the life he has now. He felt his heart swell and leant forward to give her a kiss on the cheek. A huge grin formed on her face and he couldn’t help but smile back. 

______________________

The next couple of days came and went, and so did Sarah Jane’s appointment. Next came the scans that the doctors scheduled for her. Then lastly, the result: Cancer. It was terminal with Sarah Jane only given a few more weeks, if she’s lucky a couple of months, to live. There were no treatments that were certain of prolonging her life without making her feel even sicker, or keeping her in hospital, during the process. That was not how Sarah wanted to spend the rest of her days and she had come to accept that. 

The adventures came to an end as Sarah’s health deteriorated quicker than expected. Rose moved Sarah Jane’s stuff to the bedroom downstairs to make her more comfortable. They were also given a wheelchair to help with mobility when the exhaustion became too overwhelming. However, Sarah Jane was stubborn enough to persist without it at the moment. 

Luke insisted on moving back home and having a gap year from university to be with her but Sarah Jane swore that he better not. She was perfectly fine back in the house with Rose who was caring for her, he needed to focus on his future. They spent their days and evenings watching old detective tv box sets such as Lewis and Poirot, with the usual fish and chips on a friday night. It was one of these evenings, when they were watching David Suchet as Poirot investigating a new murder, that Rose finally worked herself up to ask what had been on her mind for awhile.  
“I could call him, you know?”  
Sarah Jane dragged her eyes away from the screen and locked them with Rose’s. She didn’t need to ask who she meant by ‘him’. They both knew she meant the Doctor and both of them knew they had put off this conversation that had been sitting silently between them for weeks.  
“No, I don’t want that.”  
“But what if he could help?” Rose felt her voice begin to crack with emotion, “What if there is a pill or a medication in the future that could help? I really think-” Sarah Jane cut her off by lightly whispering her name.  
Rose’s voice hushed and the tears started to swell up in her hazel eyes. Just because she’s lost people before, even seen them deteriorate like this, doesn’t make it any easier. The world always felt off balance when someone as lovely and brilliant as Sarah Jane, who gave her time protecting and helping the earth, was dealt such a cruel fate as this. She called Rose over to the sofa she was sat on and the blonde woman rested her head against the light brunette's shoulder, their hands gripping each other’s between them. Rose looked down at their conjoined hands and sighed at the aged skin of Sarah Jane’s, the bones of her knuckles becoming more protruding each day. Rose thought it wicked that in their minds they still referred to Sarah Jane as being the older woman just because she physically looked so, when in reality Rose now had at least twenty more years on her.  
“It’s my time Rose. Everything has its time and everything has its end, you know that more than anyone now. It’s just the way of life and, oh my, haven’t I had a wonderful life. I wouldn’t change it for the world. He can’t see me like this, I don’t want him to see me like this, you know how he hates goodbyes.”  
Rose nodded her head, her hair rustling up against the fabric of the other woman’s top. She wanted to argue but she knew it was true. She remembers vividly the conversation between her and the Doctor; how humans can spend their lives with him but he has to go on alone once they’re gone.That doesn’t mean it stopped her from hoping that he might walk in, with a face she doesn’t recognise, at the last minute and whisk Sarah away to the stars to save her. It’s still a, although slim, possibility she can imagine and hold onto which was something she didn’t have as she watched all her family slowly pass, leaving her behind.  
“So I’ve been thinking, we should go visit Luke at Oxford. I haven’t visited since we moved him in and it would be nice to go back.”  
Rose agreed with a squeeze of her hand, “That’s a great idea, I’ll give him a call and sort it out.” 

______________________

A few days later, Rose, Sarah Jane and Luke were walking along the cobbled streets of Oxford. The three of them moved at a steady pace, allowing Sarah Jane to walk with ease. Rose had packed the wheelchair up in the car to bring with them as she knew by the end of the day it would become too much. 

As it was the middle of March the three of them were wrapped up warm with their big coats, Sarah Jane being layered up more than them with a beanie hat pulled low onto the top of her head. Luckily, they weren’t outside much longer and were soon removing their outerwear as they sat down in the restaurant Luke had booked for lunch. 

The waiter had only just taken their order when a new group of people walked in. One of which spotted Luke and lit up like a flame and called Luke’s name as he approached.  
“Sanjay!” Luke embraced the other tall, dark haired boy, “Mum, Rose, this my friend Sanjay.”  
“Oh yes, we’ve heard so much about you!” Sarah Jane gleamed, causing the young boy to blush.  
“All good things I hope,” Sanjay nervously chuckled.  
“Mostly. I heard you and Lukey boy here enjoy getting into trouble on Tuesday nights; two drinks for a fiver innit?” Rose chuckled, knowing full well the story of Luke throwing up in a pant plot outside of the popular bar they frequent too. “Do you wanna join us?”  
“I would join you but my folks are waiting, I actually better get back to them,” Sanjay gripped Luke’s shoulder in an embrace and smiled at him warmly before turning back to Rose and Sarah Jane, “It was lovely to finally meet you both.”  
“You too,” they both replied in sync as he departed back to his table.  
Luke watched Sanjay go, his mind wandering and not paying attention to the two most important women in his life who were grinning cheekily at him. It wasn’t until their waiter brought their drinks over that he finally looked up and saw them both staring unabashedly.  
“What? What is it?”  
“Sanjay was looking at you in that way, you know,” Sarah Jane whispered with the emphasis on ‘that’.  
“What? No he wasn’t? How can you even tell that?”  
“He actually keeps glancing over here at you as well” Rose inputted as Sanjay’s eyes just so happened to brush over the back of Luke’s head again.  
“Believe me, Luke, when you come to my age you just know. You can see it in his eyes.” 

If Sarah Jane and Rose were being honest, they had seen the look in Luke’s eyes as well. Ever since he began at university, Sanjay had been in all of his stories and they had practically been inseparable. Even Clyde felt jealous when Luke claimed Sanjay was the ‘best mate he’s had in his life’ and that he was always making him laugh. Both of the women shared a knowing look, there was a lot more to this friendship than either of the two young boys let on, they just didn’t realise it yet. 

Sarah Jane slept for the entire car journey back home. Rose drove in silence, allowing her to rest as she knew the day, even though lovely, really took it out of her. After they had finished their lunch and went to leave Luke had to go and get the wheelchair for Sarah Jane to bring her back to the car. The moment of defeat on her face when she sat down in the chair was a harrowing moment for Rose and Luke, and a sign that it was slowly becoming the beginning of the end. 

Rose pulled the car into the driveway, the gravel on the tires making enough of a crunch to rouse Sarah Jane from her sleep. Rose got out of the car first, getting ready to unfold the wheelchair from the boot, when Sarah Jane then got out herself and slowly headed towards the door of the house.  
“I’m okay, It's just been a long day that's all.”  
Rose nodded, “How about I head down to the corner cafe, it doesn’t close for half an hour, and pick us up some cake? We didn’t have any dessert at the restaurant and I think we deserve it.”  
“Oooh yeah, go on then, I’ll pop the kettle on for us.” 

Rose was back at the house within fifteen minutes, a box with two large slices of salted caramel cake under her arm as she unlocked the door and announced she was back. She walked down the corridor and popped her head in to find Sarah Jane going through their mail.  
“This came for you,” Sarah Jane spoke, picking up a blue envelope from the coffee table and handing it to Rose.  
Rose was able to recognise that colour from anywhere, it was now engraved into her mind, and often starred in the hues of her dreams. Tardis Blue. Which meant the letter could only be from one person. Her stomach dropped with anticipation and her mouth went dry. She took the letter from her dear friend and held it between her hands, the pull within her coming alive again and tugging. There were stamps all over it and symbols she didn’t recognise, insinuating the envelope had travelled wide and far to get here. Her name was written in the middle in white, making it stand out against the blue, and underneath was a range of circular symbols that she recognised as Gallifreyan. Rose ran her fingers over the symbols and sighed, it had been so long since she saw the familiar writing scattered on post-it notes around their house. Then lastly, in different handwriting and a colour of gold, ‘13 Bannerman Road” was etched to the bottom as if someone else added it knowing it was the correct address.  
“I thought he didn’t know that I was here?” Rose frowned.  
“We never mentioned that you were. Besides, Rose, I’m sure if he knew he would have already been here by now. It looks like it was redirected so maybe someone else knows that you are?”  
Rose back looked down at the envelope and contemplated Sarah Jane’s words. That was more likely but who? She ran her finger over their home address and felt an energy run up her arms making Rose catch her breath. A melody in her mind started to sing, calling to her just as the crack in the cliff face did back on the beach over a year ago.  
“Are you going to open it?”  
“I’m not sure, do you think I should?”  
“Yes.”  
Rose looked back up at Sarah Jane and let out a breath of a laugh. She always loved Sarah’s abruptness and straight to the point attitude when it came to things like this. Especially as it was what she needed to hear, that extra encouraging push to do what’s needed. For all they knew the Doctor still believed she was trapped in a parallel word. Which meant he had sent this letter in hope that it would reach her there, that he must really need her if he was taking this chance. She turned the envelope round and on the back was a white zero, making Rose frown. Why zero? What could that possibly mean? Not many people even consider zero, let alone numbering something with it. Surely, it’s universally known that people start with one when counting, not zero. Also, if this envelope is numbered, does that mean there are more that he has sent? Possibly to other people?  
“Has one arrived for you?” Rose asked.  
“No, only you.” She didn’t sound sad about it, it was just fact.  
Having enough of over thinking, Rose finally tore open the top of the envelope; surprised nothing instantly jumped out to scare her. She pulled out the only thing that was in there; a card with the same tardis blue border. In the middle of the card was a date, the 22nd of April 2011, a time and coordinates. She turned the card over but that was all that was on there. She handed it over to Sarah Jane and watched as the woman scanned the piece of paper.  
“It looks like he wants you to go somewhere.”  
“It’s not until next month…” Rose sighed and sat down on the sofa next to her friend.  
“You are going to go though, right?”  
“No, I’m not leaving you.”  
An exasperated sigh escaped Sarah Jane as she knew that would be the stubborn answer from the woman sitting next to her.  
“Rose, I really think you should go. Please, promise me you will go.”  
Rose turned to look at Sarah Jane to find she was already looking at her. She could see the plea in her eyes and it stopped Rose from carrying on her usual stubbornness. This wasn’t about her anymore, it was about Sarah Jane. Rose realised then why Sarah Jane had finally pushed Luke in the right direction towards Sanjay. Both of them had known for months that the two boys held a secret flame for each other but it wasn’t until now that it was finally pointed out to Luke himself; Sarah Jane didn’t want to leave them behind alone. Just as she had done to Luke and Sanjay, she was pushing Rose back in the direction of the Doctor. Rose couldn’t even bring herself to be mad about it, if she was in Sarah Jane’s position she knew she would be doing the exact same thing. She was already kind of doing it herself in a way, as she didn't want to leave Sarah Jane on her own in this instance either.  
“Only if you come with me.”  
A spark lit up on the other woman’s eyes, “Oh you wouldn’t be able to stop me.”  
Rose and Sarah Jane carried on with their evening as usual, ignoring the false promises made between them. The truth was, and they both knew it, that only one of them would end up keeping their promise from that night. 

______________________

Rose stared at her reflection in the mirror by the front door. Sarah Jane and her just about to leave to meet Clyde and Rani for coffee at the cafe down the street, it was the furthest Sarah Jane could walk without needing her wheelchair, which was why it was becoming her favourite spot to meet their friends. 

Looking at herself, Rose raised her hands to the roots of her hair, the darker blonde that was coming through there was now about an inch long. With everything going on she’d completely forgotten about the upkeep of her hair, which was usually dyed a bleach blonde, and the length was now way past her shoulders; just touching the top of her breasts. If she was being honest with herself, which she was trying to be more, she’d put off dying her hair on purpose. The bright flat colour of the bleach blonde just reminded her of her husband, he always took joy in calling her his pink and yellow partner, and how much he loved running his fingers through it. The shadow of his memory was always there when she looked at herself. 

Rose had already started to change her appearance from her younger self. Even though she physically looked the same, she had started to change her make-up look. She still enjoyed doing her make-up in the mornings, the normality of the routine gave her time to prepare mentally for the day. Her new routine involved a lot less make-up, the once heavy eyeliner and layered upon layers of mascara now replaced with a more natural look. She would apply a thinner layer of mascara with no eyeliner at all, then using the light blush and bronzer she used on her cheeks to dust over her eyelids to make her eyes pop. She barely used any foundation now, relying mostly on concealers to hide any imperfections, finishing off with lip balm, that had a slight pink tint, that emphasised her natural colour and plump.  
Sarah Jane interrupted her thoughts, “Why don’t you go and get your done, maybe go for a more natural blonde?”  
Rose let out a sign and shrugged her shoulders. Maybe it was time for her to change her colour as well, but if she did that she’ll look like a different person to the one her husband last saw.  
“Rose, changing your hair doesn’t mean you’re going to forget him. He’ll always be in your memory. Do this for you.”  
Rose looked back at herself in the mirror and smiled, it always baffled her how Sarah Jane always seemed to know what was running through her mind. She didn’t realise how she needed to hear it out loud; moving on and letting go doesn’t mean his memory will be forgotten.  
“Yeah you’re right, I’ll book an appointment. Now come on, Clyde and Rani are waiting for us.” 

Four days later, Rose walked out of the hair salon with dark blonde hair and golden highlights that shone in the sun. The ends had been trimmed but most of the length remained to make it easier to tie back when she needed to. Rose caught sight of herself in the reflection of a shop window and a small smile graced her face, her steps forward now feeling lighter. Yes, Sarah Jane was right, this was what she needed.  
______________________

A couple of weeks later, only a week before the date on the Tardis Blue bordered card, Rose carried two cups of tea out to the garden. Here, Sarah Jane was sitting outside in her wheelchair, barely able to go far without it these days, wrapped up warm in a thick cardigan and wooly hat even though the now spring air of April was steadily warming up. The firepit in the garden had been lit and was casting a warm glow around them.  
“Here we are then,” Rose spoke as she handed Sarah a mug and sat down on the garden chair next to her, clutching her own steaming mug to take the edge off of the slight temperature change from being inside.  
The sun was setting above them, the colours of the sky fading from a bright orange to pink to purple and then finally to black. A few stars started to dimly shine far away in the distance, the light pollution from the city dulling them slightly, teasing them with the possibilities and stories they could share with them. In moments like these both of them would think about the Doctor. Maybe he was out there on that star right now?  
“Oh what I would do for one last trip to the stars,” Sarah Jane’s voice sounded so far away, as if she was already dreaming of it.  
Rose removed her gaze from the view above and looked at the woman beside her. Sarah Jane had lost a lot of weight in the past few weeks, the bones in her face, now mirroring those of her knuckles, were harsh against the dullness of her skin. She reached out and squeezed her hand before getting up and going back inside, she knew what she needed to do. 

Picking up Sarah Jane’s mobile phone, Rose searched through the saved contacts and found a name she would never forget: Captain Jack Harkness. Her thumb hesitated as she hovered over it and she sighed. When she first arrived back she had avoided Jack as she wasn’t sure how she would be able to look him in the eye, knowing what she’d done to him. It was selfish, she knew. But that didn’t mean she didn’t miss him. Rose discovered that living an immortal life makes you a coward; it’s easier to run from your demons. But Jack wasn’t her demon, Sarah Jane had reminded her that plenty of times, he was her friend. This was the final push she needed to take that last step. She clicked on the call button and the phone started to ring. It was only a few beats when his voice broke through in answer.  
“Sarah Jane! Hey, it’s been a long time. What’s up?”  
“Hi Jack, It’s Rose.”

It was less than 15 minutes since their phone call ended that there was a knock on the door. Rose hadn’t given him all the details, just that Sarah Jane didn’t have long left and would he be able to get here as soon as possible, she needed his help. The fact he had arrived here so quickly was all the proof that she needed; the vortex manipulator was working. 

Rose answered the door and couldn’t help the smile that overcame her. He looked exactly the same, down to the same military coat and everything. But then again, Rose wouldn’t have aged either, the only thing changing was her hair colour and make-up, and she wondered what was running through his own mind right then at the sight of her.  
“Rosie!”  
Her heart skipped a beat at the old nickname he gave her and he wrapped her up in a hug, her feet lifting off of the ground. She clung to him ferociously, now only realising how much she needed it. Rose had so much that she wanted, needed, to say but it would have to wait, explaining why he was here for Sarah Jane needed to come first. Rose was beginning to sense they were running out of time. 

In the kitchen, Rose filled Jack in with what had been going on. She could tell he was itching with questions, especially about herself and how she’s back here. But from the urgency in her voice he knew now wasn’t the time which she was grateful for. Rose finally got to the reason why she needed his help; she wanted to take Sarah Jane to the stars one last time.  
“Of course I’ll help, Rosie. Were you thinking of anywhere specifically?”  
“Woman Wept. Me and the Doctor went there once, right before we met you, and it was beautiful. The landscape of the frozen waves, the colours and moons in the sky; I just know she’ll love it. It was one of the stolen twenty-six planets by the daleks, which means with the help of Mr Smith I have managed to find a record of the plant’s original coordinates.”  
Rose pulled out a piece of folded up paper where she wrote down the coordinates whilst waiting for Jack to arrive. She handed it over to him and he scanned it over before nodding.  
“It shouldn’t be a problem, we’ll have to travel over one at a time. I’m not gonna lie, travelling by vortex manipulator can be rough. Do you think she’ll be up for it?”  
“Yes, she can do it. Before you go see her, I’m going to ask you another huge favour, could you pick up her son Luke? He’s currently at university and it’ll be nice to have him here with us.”  
“Anything for you, Rose.”  
He leant forward and kissed her forehead, before taking the address of Luke’s house and vanishing before her. 

Alone yet again she thought of two other people who played a big part of the final years in Sarah Jane’s life: Clyde and Rani. Rose dropped them a text, a promise of one last surprise adventure (plus to wrap up warm), and hoped they would be able to make it. 

Rose took a moment to compose herself in the kitchen before heading back outside. Sarah Jane was still sitting there, her tea now finished, with her nose buried in the pages of Jane Eyre. It was her favourite novel and Rose had grown used to seeing Sarah Jane carrying it around with her this last week, rereading her favourite chapters over again. Rose sat back down in her seat next to her, not even distracting her friend from reading, and stared up at the sky. The sun was nearly fully set now, the dark sky looming over them, not causing dread, but bringing a calmness like pulling a blanket over a loved one.  
“Hi Mum!” Luke called as he walked around the backgate and into the garden; immediately wrapping his arms around his fragile mother.  
“Oh Luke, what a lovely surprise! What are you doing here?”  
Luke moved to give Rose a hug in greeting, resulting in Sarah Jane’s view of the open backgate being visible once again. A warm smile overtook her features as she saw Captain Jack Harkness standing there, she glanced quickly at Rose of reassurance to make sure this was real, and he responded with a smile just as charming as he approached her.  
“Well hello there, Captain. It seems unfair that you seem to look more dashing every time I see you.”  
“I don’t know, Sarah Jane, you’re looking just as beautiful as ever,” He spoke sincerely and he kissed her on her cheek. 

Before they could say anything else to each other, Clyde and Rani walked in. Both in their large winter coats, hats and gloves. They were overjoyed to see everyone, with gentle greetings for Sarah Jane, giant hugs for Luke and Rose, and finally an introduction to Jack. Clyde was in awe of the Captain and his style, exclaiming he had double agent vibes which caused the rest of the group to laugh.  
“So, is anyone going to actually tell us what we’re here for?” Clyde asked, hands in pockets, as the laughter started to fade.  
Rose’s and Jack’s eyes focused on Sarah Jane. She stared back at them quizzically before they shared their own look. It was Rose’s soft voice that broke the silence.  
“How about it Sarah Jane, one last trip to the stars?”  
They watched the shock and surprise on Sarah Jane’s face, her hand covering her gaping mouth in shock, as her eyes started to fill with tears.  
She nodded, “Oh yes please.”  
They all prepared to leave. Luke ran and got an old coat from his room for extra warmth. Rose grabbed her own puffer coat and long scarf, to layer around herself, as well as grabbing a coat for Sarah to put on over her cardigan and a blanket for her lap. Once they were all ready to leave, Jack talked them through the plan. He could only take one of them with him at a time as that is the most comfortable way for all of them to travel, recalling the time he, Martha and the Doctor all used it and it knocked them for six. Jack and Rose would be travelling first, just to make sure the area was safe, and then he would come back for Sarah Jane, Luke, Rani and lastly Clyde, in that order. 

When Jack and Rose arrived first on Woman Wept their bodies were hit with the cold. Rose prayed that she’d wrapped Sarah Jane up well enough against the drop in temperature compared to Earth. Both of them started to scan the landscape and it completely took their breath away; it was even more beautiful than she remembered. They were standing on the flattest part of ice, soaring frozen waves towered above them on either side causing shadows as it blocked the moonlight from the large moon on the horizon, a smaller moon peeking behind it even further away. Looking in front of them they could see a cascade of frozen waves in the distance, almost posed perfectly against each other, and hues of purples, blues and greens danced off the top of them in the sky. The stars shone so bright that they could be seen reflected on the icy surface, highlighting their spectacular unique patterns as if they were snowflakes waiting to be caught on tongues. 

Rose heard Jack vanish as he went to pick up the next person and it allowed her a moment to herself. Her mind wandered back to those memories with her first Doctor all of those years ago. His northern accent rambling on about how the waves froze because of an event involving the planet’s sun. Rose couldn’t help but smile gleefully as she now knew it was because of the planet being moved by the Daleks, she wished she could share that information with him now. 

She heard the indescribable sound of materialisation from the vortex manipulator and turned to see Jack clutching Sarah Jane, who had his arm gripped to her chest, and her wheelchair folded up under his other arm. Rose rushed over, taking the wheelchair from Jack and unfolding it for Sarah Jane to sit down. Once she was seated, Rose unfolded the blanket Sarah Jane was holding and placed it on the woman’s lap, tucking it around her.  
“I’m sorry, I underestimated how cold it would be.”  
“I’m fine, don’t worry about me.”  
Rose wanted to interject that she always worries about her but was stopped once she looked up at Sarah Jane’s face. The woman was in complete awe looking at her surroundings. They were both completely lost for words for once in their lives, so lost that they hadn't realised Jack had already left twice and back again with Luke and Rani now joining them. Both of the two youngers walked towards them, Luke placing a hand on his mother’s shoulder in familiarity and love. Rose scanned the three of their faces, all identical in shocked awe and wonderment. Their eyes were wide like saucers, trying to capture as much of the landscape as possible, whilst their mouths were held agape, the corners turned up slightly in smiles. Rose understood then in that moment why the Doctor always has travelling companions; sharing moments such as these with people creates a happiness you never thought possible. 

At that moment Jack returned with Clyde, all of them now together to enjoy this moment.  
“Bloody hell, this place is insane!” Clyde exclaimed, his facial features being the exact same as the others.  
This caused everyone to chuckle, the boy couldn’t ever hold in his excitement, and it was true. This planet was nothing like anything they’d ever seen before. Rani walked behind Sarah Jane and pushed her forward, as the two young boys flanked either side, closer to the surrounding waves. Rose could hear that they were talking but their voices got carried away in the landscape that she couldn’t work out what. Jack came and stood beside her, both of them not looking at each other, their eyes focused on the scene before them.  
“How long have you been back Rosie?”  
Rose let out a sigh, it was now or never, there was no point trying to deny it, “Over a year now.”  
She was met with silence and focused her attention still on the group ahead of her. She smiled when she saw Rani take off her own scarf and wrapped it around Sarah Jane for extra warmth.  
“Why didn’t you call me?” Jack’s voice sounded concerned, all this time she was back and he didn’t have a clue.  
“I couldn’t face you Jack, after what I did to you…” Rose looked up at the stars for a brief moment, composing herself, and then finally looked at Jack, “I know what it’s like to live this life. No choice but to keep living whilst all of your loved ones start to wither and pass. How can I look you in the eye, knowing I forced that life upon you.”  
Before she knew it, Jack had pulled her in for a fierce hug. She clung to him just as he clung to her. Two immortals sharing a moment of understandment together. He pulled away from the hug and brought both of his hands up to grip her shoulders, looking her dead in the eye.  
“How long?”  
“About 80 years, give or take. I stopped counting after my husband died.”  
She didn’t want to know the specific days, months and now years, she had lived on without him. Some people might find this weird but clinging on to dates without your loved ones can become harrowing. Rose found not knowing the specifics made time moving on a lot simpler, a sign she was finally starting to move forward. Jack nodded as he eyed the chain around her neck, peeping out from underneath her scarf, and ran his thumb over her wedding ring sitting there. He didn’t need to ask who, he had his suspicions that the Doctor was leaving his duplicate with Rose back in the parallel world after he couldn’t find a record of them, this just confirmed his theory. His heart broke for Rose having to live through this heartbreak, he knew how much the Doctor and Rose had loved each other, he’d seen it with his own eyes.  
“Jack, I’m so sorry,” her voice choked.  
“Rose, you’ve got nothing to apologise for. You didn’t mean to do it, it’s okay. I’m making the most of this life and you need to too. You’re one of my favourite people ever, which is a good job now that we’re stuck with each other forever.” He joked and it made her chuckle.  
Knowing you were no longer alone in this life of immortality was a reassurance. It was a comfort finally having someone to rely on and to check in on once in a while to see how they’re doing, to have someone constant in your life. That’s what led Jack to his next question.  
“Does the Doctor know?”  
He assumed the Doctor didn’t know, otherwise he would be here right now, Jack was sure of it.  
“No, he doesn’t even know that I’m back in this universe. A few weeks ago he sent me a card with a date, time and location on it but it had, what I can only assume as it was written in Gallifreyan, the location of the gap into the parallel world where he still thought I was. However, someone had redirected it to Sarah Jane’s house where I have been staying for the past year, so someone out there must know.”  
“When is the date?”  
“In a couple of days...” before Jack could interrupt telling her she must go, she carried on, “But I can’t, won’t, leave Sarah Jane, Jack.”  
He looked back out over to the group where Sarah Jane was. He understood where Rose was coming from and he could tell in her voice she wasn’t going to budge on this. But he also knew that she was curious about going, you never get rid of that travelling urge in your bones. So that’s what he couldn’t understand, she had promised the Doctor forever and she could finally fulfill that promise so why wasn’t she jumping at the chance. Before he could voice this they were distracted by the group of laughter echoing ahead of them. Clyde and Luke were running towards the waves, competing against each other, to see who could get the highest before gravity came into play causing them to slide back down. Both Jack and Rose also erupted into laughter as Clyde slipped and fell back down on his stomach.  
“They’re a great bunch, huh?”  
“They’re the best,” Rose smiled and started to walk toward the group again.  
Jack watched her go for a moment, knowing the conversation was over for now, but had already decided what he needed to say to her the next moment they were alone. 

Rose approached the other women who were standing watching the boys making fools of themselves. She stood next to Sarah Jane, her to look up with a spark in her eyes. Sarah Jane reached across and took hold of Rose’s hand and gave it a squeeze.  
“Thank you, Rose.”  
It wasn’t just a thank you for this last trip to the stars, it was a thank you for everything.  
“It’s my pleasure, Sarah Jane.” 

______________________

That night, the 19th of April 2011, once they had returned from Woman Wept, Sarah Jane passed away in her sleep. With all of those she held dear sleeping under one roof, and all of them glad it was a peaceful and pain free passing for their dear friend. 

They planned the funeral for a week's time and invited everyone they could think of, she touched so many people's lives, and they wanted it to be the perfect celebration of who she was and how she will be dearly missed. Rose noticed the date of the service was a week after the date that was written within the blue envelope, meant she could no longer keep her promise to Sarah Jane. She refused to miss the service for something so uncertain, she would have a proper goodbye to one of her dearest friends whether it was promised or not. 

The house on Bannerman Road constantly had people in and out of it as Rose, Jack, Luke, Rani and Clyde were all packing up and covering the possessions that filled the rooms and corridors. In Sarah Jane’s will the house was left to Luke and he would hopefully return once his university studies were over, to carry on the work that she started. Once finished they spent the evening telling their own stories and adventures with Sarah Jane and how the world is a little bit dimmer without her light in it. 

Towards the end of the night, Clyde and Rani both having left to go back to their homes, Rose excused herself upstairs to her bedroom. She sat down onto her mattress, her back up against the wall and had a moment to herself for her grief. The house now cold without the warmth of Sarah Jane’s laugh to light up the rooms.  
“Hi,” Luke softly spoke as he knocked on her open door lightly, holding something tight in his hands.  
“Hey,” she responded and shuffled forward so she was sitting on the edge of the bed.  
At her response he walked fully into the room and towards her. Now that he was closer she could see he was holding the copy of Jane Eyre that Sarah Jane had nearly refused to put down over the last week.  
“So, Mum wanted you to have this.”  
He handed her the book and she took it between both of her hands. She stared at the navy hardback cover for a moment before opening it up to the cover page. On the inside she saw Sarah Jane’s cursive handwriting: 

For Rose,

As you’ve seen my nose buried behind the cover far too often towards the end. 

“I remembered that the real world was wide, and that a varied field of hopes and fears, of sensations and excitements, awaited those who had the courage to go forth into its expanse, to seek real knowledge of life amidst it’s perils.”

Love,  
Sarah Jane 

Rose smiled but her eyes welled up with tears and she ran her fingers over the beautiful cursive handwriting. She felt something behind the page and her brow furrowed, turning over there was the blue envelope with the invitation card inside. Rose pulled it out, closed the book, and placed it upon the cover before looking up again at Luke to find he was now sitting next to her.  
“Mum told me all about it, she asked me to give it back to you. I think you should go Rose.”  
“Luke, I can’t go it’ll mean I have to miss the funeral and I’m not doing that, I can’t leave you right now having to deal with all of this. Besides, it’s more complicated tha-”  
“Rose, you’ve done so much for us. You gave me the extra push to go to university a year early and without going I would have never met Sanjay. Mum would understand you having to miss the funeral for this, you stayed by her side through it all and I can’t thank you enough, I’m not sure what we would have done without you. So, I’m giving you the push you need now, as that’s what families do for each other. You can do this Rose and if mum was still here she’d be saying the same thing.”  
She eyed the young boy before her and realised how grown up he truly was now. She pulled him into a hug and they stayed like that for a few moments, holding each other for comfort.  
“Besides, you had promised Mum that you would go and you can’t let her down now.”  
Rose left out a laugh and nodded, a few tears escaping down her cheeks. Luke stood up, placed a hand on her shoulder and gave it a comforting squeeze before leaving the room. 

It was only a few moments before there was another knock on the door and Jack was standing before her. He saw the tears that had begun to run down her cheeks and came to sit down next to her, his eyes wandering over to what was in her hands. Jack knew what it was just from the glance, especially after what Rose told him on Woman Wept.  
“Rose-”  
“I’m scared, Jack.”  
“Oh Rosie,” he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and she buried her head into his neck, “If anyone’s brave enough to do this then it’s you. He needs you Rose, I think he’ll always need you, new face or not. You can deny it all you want but you need him too. I know it’s not going to be an easy road but I believe it’s going to be worth taking.”  
She knew he wanted to say more about the past and her old promise of forever to the Doctor but it didn’t need saying. He’d already said the perfect thing because she realised she did need the Doctor, it’s just the way things were and some things never change now matter how hard she tried to avoid it.  
“But how can I miss the funeral Jack? There’s still so much to do and I need to say goodbye-”  
“I’m here, I’ll help with the rest of the funeral arrangements and make sure that they’re all looked after. Besides, you fulfilling your promise to Sarah Jane is the best way to say goodbye.”  
Rose’s shoulders slumped like a weight had been lifted from them.  
“Thank you, Jack. I’ve really missed you.”  
“I’ve missed you too,” he chuckled and then pulled on the ends of her hair, “I’m loving the new hair by the way, it really suits you.”  
“Thanks, I needed a change, it was Sarah Jane’s idea actually. Reflects the older me now stuck inside,” she joked trying to lighten the mood.  
“Oh if that’s the case maybe I should start dying my hair grey.”  
“You’d still look just as attractive grey as you do now, don’t you worry.”  
“Rose Tyler, are you hitting on me?”  
They both burst out in laughter and lightness overtook them for the first time in a couple of days. 

______________________

Going up into the loft, Rose kept the book and envelope in her clutches as she walked. She opened the door and the smell of books and adventure hit her nose and heightened her senses. Everything was in the exact same place as they had left it. She approached the wall that looked just like an ordinary fireplace and let out a small sigh for she realised this would be the final time.  
“Mr Smith, I need you.”  
The wall came to life and opened with its usual fanfare, the light steam releasing and the lights flickering away. A grin formed on Rose’s face as the screen came to life.  
“Rose Tyler, what can I do for you?”  
“Can you scan the coordinates of something for me please? I need the location.”  
“Of course, Rose Tyler.”  
Rose approached the controls and took the invitation card and slid it into a small postbox like slit, holding it there Mr Smith then sucked in the piece of paper to scan. She watched the screen as it calculated and analysed the paper she gave. The screen then showed a map and steadily started to zoom in to the location she needed.  
“The location you’re searching for is Lake Silencio, Utah.”  
“He couldn’t make it somewhere easy to get too could he,” Rose sighed to herself but a small hint of humour and fondness laced her words.  
Rose asked Mr Smith to sort out a flight for her to get to the states as soon as possible as she now had less than two days to make it out there in time. Mr Smith completed this task easily and printed out all the information she needed with the original card invite she gave him to scan.  
“Are you leaving, Rose Tyler?”  
“Yes I am. Mr Smith, you’ve been a great friend.”  
“It was my pleasure, Rose Tyler. I’m missing Sarah Jane already, the house isn’t the same without her.”  
“So am I,” Rose let out a sigh and sat down on the steps Sarah Jane could often be found, “But we both know she’s now up there with the stars where she belongs.”  
“Yes, I agree.”  
Rose takes a moment with Mr Smith, the silence heavy in memory of their friend. She stood up and dusted off her trousers even though there was nothing there. She looked down at the book, blue envelope and now travel documents in her hands, there was no backing out now.  
“Luke is going back to university after the funeral so the house is going to be empty for a while, you can close down now Mr Smith.”  
“Of course, I’ll be here waiting here and ready whenever I’m needed.”  
“Thank you for everything.’  
Rose watched as Mr Smith retreated and closed back into the wall. The loft looked again just like a normal loft and Rose felt grateful for all the memories they now all shared in there. 

______________________

That night, Rose Tyler left 13 Bannerman Road. All of her belongings packed in the duffel backpack she arrived with strapped to her shoulders and a new wave of determination pushing her forward step by step. She’d said her goodbyes to Luke and Jack, giving them both hugs, and promised she would stay in touch with them as long as they did with her. 

Once at the end of the driveway, Rose turned and looked back at the house. Her heart ached thinking of Sarah Jane no longing waiting inside for her to come home with their usual favourite cake slices from the cafe on the corner. Rose’s promise pumped through her veins as if it was the only thing keeping her going and she had to accept this was how she was saying goodbye.  
“Thank you for everything, Sarah Jane Smith.”  
Rose turned and carried on without looking back. She was frightened of the road ahead but that didn’t stop the excitement of the possibilities it held in store for her. The pull she felt back in the parallel world started to get stronger with every step forward. Only one thing was certain, her destination: Lake Silencio, Utah.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading, this work wasn't Beta'd as I just wanted to get it all out quickly so if there's any mistakes I apologise! Please comment if you enjoyed and want to share in my heart break. I've had this story in my head for such a long time (I'm talking years) and I'm glad to finally get it out. In my mind I've already got a whole season 6 rewrite with Rose planned and I'm hoping that's something people will be interested in!


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